Bracelet clasp



Feb. 8, 1949. D/g; 2,461,309

I BRACELET CLASP Filed Oct. 5, 1945 Fig .1.

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Julius Patented Feb. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRACELET CLASP Julius Cedar, New York, N. Y.

Application October 3, 1945, Serial No. 620,008

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to clasps intended for use in connection with wrist bands for wrist watches or for bracelets or for other articles of jewelry.

The particular type of clasp to which the present invention relates is that in which a ratchet-bearing slidable link is contained within a box-like outer casing, and a pair of pivotally connected swinging link members, permitting expansion of the bracelet when placing the same on or removing it from the wrist, are swung either into or outside of the casing. In devices of this character, shown in a number of prior patents, means is provided by which the swinging link members are held against swinging movement out of the casing until the slidable link member is moved to its extended position out of the casing. In such prior patents, the slidable link member is held against inadvertent sliding movement by means of a ratchet arrangement controlled by a detent that is freed from the teeth of the ratchet by inward pressure on a finger piece projecting out of the casing.

It has been found that the use of a single detent engaging a single set of ratchet teeth very often causes the clasp to be inadvertently opened, since a slight pressure on the disengaging element for the detent at once frees the detent from th ratchet teeth and permits sliding movement of the slidable link. Very often the wearer of a wrist watch will, when leaning against a surface, or otherwise applying'pressure on the wrist band, impose sufiicient pressure on the release member so that the clasp will at once open.

One of the objects of the present invention is to correct this serious deficiency found in many wrist band clasps now marketed, and by the provision of means in which releasing pressure is required on two members rather than one, with said pressure being required in opposite directions in order to free the slidable link member so that it may be slid to an extended position out of the casing thus enabling the pivoted link members to be also swung outwardly after the slidable link has been fully extended.

Another object of the invention is to provide means by which the maintenance of the slidable link member in its nested or retracted position within the casing will cause it to engage with one of the pivoted links to thereby hold said links in their overlying and nested position within the casing so long as the slidable link is in a retracted position. While prior structures have sought to attain the last-mentioned object, they have sought it by elements which required apertures in the outer casing, thus detracting from its appearance and the smoothness of the casing and continuity of its design. With the present invention, the engagement of the parts takes place solely within the casing so that the exterior appearance of the clasp as a whole is clean-out.

These and other objects are attained by the invention, a more particular description of which will appear hereinafter and be set forth in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of a clasp made in accordance with the invention, the clasp being shown with the slidable link in partly extended position to disclose the two sets of ratchet teeth; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation view of the inner face of the clasp, with the pivoted links swung out of the casing to more clearly disclose the slidable link and the spring; Fig. 3 is a face view of the wishbone spring; Fig. 4 is an edge view of the spring; Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of the clasp showing the pivoted links swung out of the casing; Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, the view being taken while the slidable link member and pivotal links are fully disposed within the casing, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 'l-'l of Fig. 5.

In the drawing, 1 indicates the body portion or main element of the clasp, the same being in the form of a substantially rectangular, slightly curved, shallow channel-shaped casing, having the longitudinal side walls 2 and 2a which are in bent to form the inturned flanges 3 and 3a. Slidably mounted within the casing I and confined therein behind the flanges 3 and 3a, is a slidable link member l, in the form of an open frame provided along both of its inside longitudinal edges with the two sets of ratchet teeth indicated respectively at 5 and 6. At one end, the link member 4 has a cross bar I by which it is attached to a loop 8 which is in turn attached in the conventional way to a bracelet, or else forms a part of the same. It will be observed that the slidable link 4 is provided along its outside longitudinal edges with inturned flanges 9 disposed behind the flanges 3 and 3a on the casing l.

Located within the casing and positioned between the inside face 36 of the same and the back of the slidable link 4, is a spring ll! of wishbone form. That is to say, it is of substantially U- shape provided with the two free end legs I l and [2. A spring finger 13, disposed between the legs H and I2 andconstituting an integral extension of. one of the legs, tends to normally thrust the 

